Nonneoplastic lesions of the prostate and bladder

Specimens from the prostate and bladder are commonly encountered by the general surgical pathologist. Emphasis is usually placed on neoplasms of the bladder and prostate, particularly if malignant, owing to their therapeutic consequences. A good command of benign lesions occurring in the bladder and prostate, and knowledge of their preneoplastic potential will help pathologists confidently diagnose malignancy versus its benign mimickers and guide the urologists in choosing the appropriate therapy and follow-up for the patient.

To present a mixture of benign entities, and discuss their histologic and clinical characteristics, hoping to provide a practical review for the general surgical pathologist.

An extensive review of the literature on the entities discussed was performed.

A wide variety of benign entities are present in the prostate and bladder. Benign lesions in the prostate can be age related, such as prostatic atrophy and benign prostatic hyperplasia; transition zone associated, such as basal cell hyperplasia, adenosis, and sclerosing adenosis; or prostatic urethra associated. Benign lesions of the bladder encompass a wide variety of reactive changes that can occur in the urothelium, as well as hyperplastic lesions or reactive proliferations that could be misdiagnosed as malignant. The bladder responds to chronic irritation through several reactive/metaplastic lesions such as cystitis cystica/glandularis, keratinizing squamous metaplasia, or nephrogenic metaplasia. The urothelium can also give rise to hyperplastic/proliferative lesions, in particular von Brunn nest hyperplasia, papillary polypoid cystitis, and pseudocarcinomatous proliferation, which should be distinguished from malignant processes. Ectopic tissue, such as prostatic or mullerian, can also be seen.